Perhaps
by fately
Summary: Hope declared, in all his masculine virgin glory, "There's someone else. Someone special." His friend replied, "Really, that's what they all say." Hope/Lightning


**Title **: Perhaps  
><strong>Pairing <strong>: strongly implied 24 year old Hope/Lightning  
><strong>Rating<strong> : T  
><strong>Summary<strong> : Hope declared, in all his masculine virgin glory, "There's someone else. Someone special." His friend replied, "Really, that's what they all say."

Oh, yes. Holy freak. I am writing about 24 year old Hope when this game is not even out yet. I am just so excited for this game.  
>BTW. This is really short.<p>

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><p><strong><em>Perhaps<em>**

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><p>Hope's friends were absolutely convinced that Hope was planning to be single for the rest of his life. The young, handsome, charming, and not to mention capable man was still, and probably would remain, a freaking virgin. Something must be wrong with him.<p>

"How come," his friend asked him gravely one day, as they drank their coffees late night at the research center, "you've never had a girlfriend so far?"

Hope nearly splurtted out his coffee at the unexpected, albeit quite reasonable question.

"I've known you for five years now. Ever since college. And I don't recall ever seeing you with a girl."

Estheim blinked his eyes.

"Don't tell me... You're," the friend gulped, _"gay?"_

A kick in the shin followed promptly.

"What are you saying? You really think that's the case?" Estheim sounded slightly angered - and his friend knew better than to anger Hope Estheim. Because despite his rather friendly disposition, Estheim can get icy cold when he's really pissed at you. It's been a mystery where he gets that cold demeanor from, since the man is usually so polite.

"So, if you do like girls - Then... why don't you date? I almost thought you were _asexual_ for a while."

"I'm just," the silver-haired man looked around the room, rolling his eyes, looking for an answer, "...waiting for someone."

His friend raised an eyebrow, "Ah, I see. Waiting for that special someone who's not in your life right now, but soon will be?"

The man chuckled, and declared proudly in all his masculine glory, "There's someone else. Someone special."

"Ah, so you're waiting for someone? Interesting. Do tell."

Hope hesitated, his eyes wavering with doubt. But he grinned a very pained smile - one that his friend has never seen on the face of Estheim, and open his mouth, "I'm waiting for her. Because, I know that she'll be back one day. And when that day comes, I'll be ready, and at least now I know that there's some hope of her accepting me..."

The other man sat there silently, not knowing what to say. Hope Estheim was dead serious - it wasn't just a little fantasy of his, or even a dream - this was truly what he was yearning for - the friend felt that it was not in his position to inquire too deeply into it.

So he joked it off, "Pfh. Really. That's what they all say."

Hope laughed.

But deep inside, the friend had an abstract idea of who this person might be -

Perhaps the tall, beautiful woman - the one with the beautiful pink hair, the bold spark in her eyes, and the aura of strength - in the picture frame that had rested on top of Hope's desk for nearly five years now - perhaps longer.

Perhaps the person who gave Hope his survival knife, which he always carried around when going out to the wilderness for research trips. He never left without it, claiming, _'It's a memento from someone very special.'_

Perhaps. Just maybe.

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><p><strong>fin<strong>

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><p>Wow, uhm. This is short.<p>

I'm just so, so excited for FF13-2 that I had to write something up. Since Square is making Hope 24 years old, I expect a lot of sweet Hope/Light moments for us Hoperai fans...

I seriously ship Hope/Light so hard. So, _so_ much. If Square Enix asked me, "We have a boat. If you can ship two people on it, who would you shi-" I would reply, without hesitation, "_HOPE AND LIGHTNING OMFG YES_." Really, Square Enix, I don't expect too much. Just... at least a very heartwarming reunion scene. If you don't give me that much after all their interaction in the first game, you are officially taking my heart, stabbing it, and then restabbing it in the back.

Wow, I just realized that the summary for this story basically sums _everything_ up.


End file.
